Saturday 30 August 2008, Islington Bay, Auckland

Between bad weather and family stuff we have not been out overnight on Zinkwazi since Queens birthday. With a good forecast for the weekend, nothing was going to stop us getting out this weekend. After gym & grocery shopping we headed out and are anchored up for the night. And I should know better than to shop when hungry – have enough food for a week.

Weather is not as good as forecast there is a strong gusty wind blowing and Zinkwazi is tugging at the snubber rope on the anchor chain. We have plenty of chain out and holding in Issy Bay mud is good so no worries.

As my family knows that what we eat depends on what is on special offer at the supermarket. And today there was no meat at discount prices. My “no meat” dishes are usually mac & cheese, omlettes, baked potatoes and occasionally something obscure like welsh rarebit. But I got beautiful agria potatoes (yes potato variety is important) so I made 3-cheese baked potatoes for supper.

Wash and prick potatoes (don’t wanna end up with exploded potatoes) and bake in hot oven till cooked. Cut in half and scoop out flesh and out in a bowl. Return potato skins to oven to crisp up. Add to flesh: small cubes haloumi (a greek cheese), a spicy italian sausage chopped into small pieces, grated parmesan, grated cheddar, ground pepper and some butter. Using a knife mix cheese and sausage into potato. Mixture s/b chunky (not mashed) add salt to taste (test – haloumi & sausage are already salty). Load into potato skins, sprinkle some grated cheddar on top and bake till top is golden & crispy. Serve.